Are Amazon FBA courses scams? If you pay someone for a product or service and they deliver it to you, it’s not a scam. But some coaches make outrageous claims and guarantee enormous ROIs. Making a guarantee like this is illegal, and monitored by the Federal Trade Commission. So, any Amazon FBA course that makes a guarantee of success should immediately raise a red flag.
Also, coaches price their courses unfairly. Others no longer actively sell. Some may never have had an Amazon business. Certain courses lack quality information and production quality. While these qualities lower the worth of the online FBA course, they don’t mean that it’s a scam.
Remember: To become a successful Amazon seller, you need to put in the work. Even if you buy one of these courses, it’s not realistic to expect automatic success. Making a profit will take some time.
What are Scam Amazon FBA Courses Currently on the Market?
To find scam Amazon FBA courses, you will have to do your own research. Pay attention to:
- Claims made by the coach and salespeople
- Cost vs. what you get
- The coach’s qualifications and status. Are they still selling? Have they shifted their focus to other business models?
- Their disclaimer
- YouTube and Reddit reviews (but watch out for fake positive reviews from affiliate marketing programs).
- Trustpilot and Better Business Bureau reviews
These qualifications will help you find good courses vs. scammer courses. Often, when the FTC investigates an online business for fraudulent claims, the operation shuts down. For instance, you can’t sign up for the Sellers Project or Amazing Wealth Systems anymore.
But the FTC doesn't catch everyone right away. So many scammers copied the official Tanner J Fox Amazon FBA training course that it became difficult to find the actual course. From what I can tell, this played a role in pushing Tanner out of the space.Let's look at some current courses and decide: Are Amazon FBA courses scams?
Are Amazon FBA Courses Scams? 11 Courses Discussed
Amazing Selling Machine
Mike McClary and Rich Henderson teach the ASM course. Matt Clark and Jason Katzenbeck founded it. They claim to teach how to build a 7-figure business.
Cost:
$5000
What's Included:
8-week online training with mentorship program and private community. You also get some bonus materials like useful templates and connections to product photographers.
Coach Qualifications and Status:
Rich spent over 10 years in SEO and affiliate marketing. Mike is a former ASM student who became a 7-figure Amazon seller.
Reviews:
“I think the course is really really high quality, and there’s no doubt that a lot of people have made some serious money off the program. But I’ve noticed a lot of biased reviews really saying how amazing the course is just so they can get affiliate commission.”
Disclaimer:
Scam?
No. The Amazing Selling Machine is a great Amazon course. But, they also have a strong affiliate marketing community that pushes positive reviews on social media. Keep an eye out for honest reviews with details.
Worth It?
Maybe. With four experts behind it, there should be more real-world examples.
Read More: Amazing Selling Machine Review
BJK University
Bashar J Katou claims to provide a simple Amazon business blueprint will change your life. His platform is a school system rather than just a course.
Cost:
$3800
What's Included:
6-week basic training, not detailed. More about life coaching and being a businessperson than specific strategies. When he is talking about selling, he teaches how to run a shop rather than a single profitable product.
Coach Qualifications and Status:
Bashar started selling after 2015, when he massively failed in the restaurant business. He did better with FBA and retired his parents. He says he is a 7-figure seller first, and his guru role comes second.
Read Bashar's full disclaimer here.
Reviews:
“If you followed Bashar for any length of time, you can see he has a really amazing presence.”
Scam?
No. Some of Bashar’s marketing techniques come off a little slimy, but the school is not a scam.
Worth It?
Maybe. This school will help change your mindset, but there are more detailed FBA courses out there.
For more information, read my full BJK University Review.
Go to Bashar's Course Site: BJK University
Amazon FBA Ninja
Kevin David is one of the most controversial make-money-online gurus. Countless reviewers have slammed him for copying content and making false claims. Kevin’s business THATLifestyleNinja, which umbrellas all of his courses, is NOT BBB accredited and is rated F. The BBB has two alerts posted for THAT LIfestyleNInja regarding possible fraudulent reviews.
Cost:
$1997
What's Included:
Zon Ninja includes 6 self-paced modules with lots of deep information. There is also access to a student group and live monthly Q&A sessions with Kevin.
Coach Qualifications and Status:
Kevin has made over 8 figures as an entrepreneur. But, it hasn’t all been FBA. He sells many courses, has an Amazon Automation agency, sells product research software, and more.
Read Kevin’s full disclaimer.
Reviews:
“I think he does sell a bit of a fake dream because he exaggerates what it’s like to be an entrepreneur and he exaggerates what it’s like to start an Amazon business when in reality it’s really really hard to do.”
Scam?
No, but the material is dated and possibly copied.
Worth It?
You could get the same information for far less money elsewhere.
Why are Kevin David Courses in the Trusted Directory?
Major publications have featured Kevin, including Forbes, Entrepreneur, the Wall Street Journal, and Business Insider. He copies other creators' content, but he hasn’t made proven illegal claims yet. Plus, Kevin’s courses teach valuable content and have produced sellers.
For more information, read my full Zon Ninja Review.
Go to Kevin's Course Site: Official Kevin David
Proven Amazon Course
Jim Cockrum claims to provide a simple guide to selling on Amazon.
Cost:
$29/month of $499 for lifetime access.
What's Included:
An extensive collection of training videos about several Amazon FBA business models, along with a private forum and monthly webinars.
Coach Qualifications and Status:
Jim says that he has been an active FBA and eBay seller since 1997.
Read Jim’s full disclaimer here. It hasn’t been updated since 2015.
Reviews:
“The students are quite happy. They did a survey, and this is for people spending at least 15 hours per week on their business, and who are making $1,000 a month or more… They found the net average income was $70,866/year.”
Scam?
No. This is an informative, cost-effective online FBA course with an outstanding 30 day refund policy.
Worth It?
Yes! If you are a beginner, you might feel overwhelmed. So, start small by choosing which business model you would like to start before really digging into the content.
For more information, read my Proven Amazon Course Review.
Go to course site: Proven Amazon Course.
Blue Sky Amazon
Sophie Howard claims to teach you how to create a “highly lucrative” eCommerce business in a short amount of time.
Cost:
$3995
What's Included:
Positive Amazon FBA course with weekly webinars and a conference.
Coach Qualifications and Status:
Sophie built a few 7 figure businesses.
Reviews:
“It’s not a scam, it’s a legitimate program, and Sophie is a legitimate person as well.”
Disclaimer:
Scam?
No. Just because there is a shady refund policy does not mean the entire training is a scam.
Worth It?
Not really. There are better, higher quality courses out there that won’t hit you with such aggressive marketing techniques.
Read my full Blue Sky Amazon Review.
Go to Sophie's Site.
FBA Masterclass
Tom Wang claims he has the “#1 Fast-Track Program” to build an Amazon FBA business.
Cost:
$6997
What's Included:
A self-paced training with over 200 modules, a Facebook community, and access to 8-figure sellers.
Coach Qualifications and Status:
Tom made over $5 million since 2017. Today, he is a mentor.
Reviews:
“Tom Wang is legit. You can trust him. I know I can trust him from just the work that we’ve done and collaboration.”
Disclaimer:
Scam?
No, but it is very costly. We suggest trying FBA first, and a cheaper course, before investing in this one.
Worth It?
Yes, if you are ready to take your business to the next level.
Read my full FBA Masterclass Review.
Visit Tom's FBA Masterclass Site.
Amazon Boot Camp
Husband and wife team Jessica and Cliff promise to deliver a step-by-step resell method through FBA.
Cost:
$995
What's Included:
The price above gets you the FBA course and access to the Facebook community. You will also get to partake in just 3 group calls with Jessica.
Coach Qualifications and Status:
Jessica and Cliff have sold since 2008. They made $100,000 in profit their first year. They are still selling and teaching, with Cliff focusing on the business and Jessica focusing on teaching.
See the Selling Family’s disclaimer here.
Reviews:
‘It’s 100% legit course. If you want to go down this route of Amazon FBA and you don’t have a lot of capital to start up I think this is a terrific option.”
Scam?
No. This is great for beginners. Jessica and Cliff don’t make a lot of crazy income claims. All they say is that they have students who make $500- $10K in profit a month.
Worth It?
This course might be worth it for you if you want to do retail arbitrage. This might be the best place for you to start your Amazon FBA business.
Visit the Selling Family's course page.
Wholesale Formula
Dan and Dylan claim to have a proven formula anyone can do that builds a “massively successful” Amazon business.
Cost:
$2997
What's Included:
Over 90 training videos, along with a bonus course on virtual assistants. You also get $3000 worth of discounts on product research software.
Coach Qualifications and Status:
As of 2024, they’ve done over $31 million in sales.
The Wholesale Formula has a very interesting disclaimer that literally breaks down some of their claims, along with where the numbers came from. They even include a contact for anyone who wants to see the numbers broken down further.
Reviews:
“For that price point, it should have everything in it.”
Scam?
No. Keep in mind that this course has a strong, straight-forward affiliate marketing program full of actually loyal customers.
Worth It?
Yes, but keep in mind that this course has a very intense following. You won’t just take a course, you will become part of a strict community.
Learn more on the Wholesale Formula Review website.
Amazon FBA Winners Course
Tamara Tee claims that if you copy her eCommerce guide, you can consistently make $10,000 every month.
Cost:
$1997. This is NOT a free mini course, as her sales funnel leads you to believe.
What's Included:
16 modules on everything from starting FBA to scaling, to setting up taxes. She also includes weekly lives and Facebook group.
Coach Qualifications and Status:
Tamara is a successful Amazon seller with an active YouTube following of over 72,000 people. She is currently selling, and does what is in the course herself. This allows her to make about $1 million in profit each year.
Read Tamara’s earnings disclaimer here.
Reviews:
"If you're wondering is she legit, yes. She is absolutely legit."
Scam?
No, but if you were looking for free FBA courses, Tamara’s funnel feels a little scammy.
Worth It?
Maybe. You will have lifetime access to the Facebook group, but you can find a lot of the information in the modules online.
Visit Tamara's sales page.
Nine University
Kale and Taylor Claims: They have the only way to help you sell on Amazon. They have a “predictable system to find, source, rank, and sell 2, 5, even 10 Amazon FBA products on demand, every single month, while being able to predict profitability down to the dollar and day.”
Kale and Taylor Claims: Their way is the only way to help you sell on Amazon. They have a “predictable system to find, source, rank, and sell 2, 5, even 10 Amazon FBA products on demand, every single month, while being able to predict profitability down to the dollar and day.”
Cost:
$1,997- $10K
What's Included:
Over 16 hours of video training. Back in 2020, Nine University's course was just written by an FBA seller they found on UpWork. Today, it seems that the course has been rewritten. They also offer several other services, like Honey Badger Boost and Fast Track.
Note: The link to Nine U Academy does not work as of 2024.
Coach Qualifications and Status:
Kale and Taylor act like gurus, when their own disclaimer (below) states that they only have about 2 years' experience of selling on Amazon. It’s not clear if they sell now. But, Kale has moved onto crypto.
Reviews:
Scott received this email after making a negative video about Nine University.
Disclaimer:
Scam?
Not entirely. You will get a course, tool, or other services for your money.
Worth It?
There are better courses out there these days.
Learn more in my full Nine University review.
Visit Nine University's site.
Is it Worth Buying an Amazon FBA Course?
With all these scams and potential scams out there- are Amazon FBA courses worth it? Yes, a course can be an invaluable asset to your business. But you need to choose a quality course, besides a non-fraudulent course. Good courses should have these qualities:
Coincides with your business model
Updated within the last year
Contains in-depth information
Has a high production quality
Provides access to an online community
Allows you to speak with an expert
Bonus resources, like tools and PDFs.
We believe the best Amazon FBA course is Tim Sanders’ Private Label Masters. Tim includes real life, tangible advice rather than a general overview.
If you’re looking for an Amazon FBA course free, we recommend How to Sell on Amazon FBA in 2020 Step by Step, presented by David Zaleski.Do I Need Expensive Amazon FBA Training to Start Selling on Amazon?
No. There are plenty of affordable courses that have wonderful information. But, you don’t need a course at all to have success on Amazon. You can do it on your own, too. There’s a mountain of information online and on YouTube. A quality, affordable course will simply help you avoid common mistakes and might shorten your time to ROI.
What is Amazon FBA Coach?
Amazon’s Selling Coach is a part of your Seller Account. The Selling Coach will send you email recommendations. It will also notify you when your inventory is running low, share ways you can diversify your products, and fulfillment or selling opportunities. This system isn’t comparable to a real life coach, but it is useful.
HORROR STORIES of FBA Course Scams
Amazon sued Amazing Wealth Systems in 2017. In 2018, they also settled with the FTC. The three owners claimed they were affiliated with Amazon itself. They would hold expensive seminars, and claim whoever signed up could make $5K - $10K a month. Additional packages with AWS cost up to $35,000.
The gurus lost the case, and the FTC forced them to pay over $9.1 million back to their 13,348 customers. But they may end up paying up to $102 million if they lied about their holdings. In addition, the three owners can no longer market or sell business opportunities and business coach services. In February 2022, those customers got a second round of checks.
Also in 2018, the FTC and State of Minnesota stopped the Sellers Playbook. Sellers Playbook was very similar to AWS. Their scammy seminars cost $1000 for 3 days of “information”. Once, a real seller asked legit questions during one of these seminars, and they were escorted out of the building.
Again, the owners of Sellers Playbook made false claims that consumers could make $20,000/month. The FTC refunded at least 350 people with checks of $3K. The owners (a husband and wife team, Matthew and Jessie Tieva) were charged with nine counts of fraud and alleged misrepresentations. This sent Matthew into a suicidal episode, which led to an hours long standoff with police.
Sometimes a course is the scammee, not the scammer. This was the case with the Tanner J Fox course, Amazon Seller Mastery. Scammers recreated the course so much that it was difficult to find the original course. Now, Tanner’s website no longer works, and he hasn’t made a YouTube video in over a year.
Sometimes, an FBA course isn’t a scam, but still fails. For instance, Jimmy Smith signed up for a coaching program and course for about $10K-$15K. He did all the research. The presenter had a multi-million dollar FBA business, and some students shared success stories. However, the course didn’t have a long history.
He got value from the course, but when he made a large order with their supplier, the company went under. They held their money, and Jimmy couldn’t get a hold of them. Finally, he complained in the course group, and they kicked him out.
Is the Amazon FBA Program Legit?
Since there are so many scams out there, you may wonder “Is Amazon FBA legit?” FBA is a legit way to make money online. The average seller makes between $1250 and $12,500. But, just like an Amazon FBA course, you need to put in the work.
Is Amazon FBA Considered a Business?
Yes, it’s a business. Some sellers get a business license and a trademark to protect their name and logo. Private label sellers often design an entire business around their products. Having a trademark allows you to use the Amazon Brand Registry, which will make your product listings look much more professional. This can increase sales. You can also sell your Amazon business for 4x its annual sales if you become successful.
Is Amazon FBA a Pyramid Scheme?
No, it’s not a pyramid scheme. But they charge high fees for using the Amazon marketplace. At the very least, they collect 15% of the products’ selling price. Plus, there has been a recent 5% fee increase for emissions. And, there are FBA storage fees ($0.75- $2.40/cubic foot), referral fees (6%-20% depending on product), and fulfillment fees ($2.35-$138.11/product).
Is Amazon FBA Illegal?
No, it’s not illegal. But, if you sell another brand’s product, they might sue you if you don’t have permission. And, there are certain products third party sellers cannot list. These include:
Products with marketing materials other than Amazon
Gift cards
Tires
Alcohol
Is Amazon FBA Safe?
This is a safe way to make money online, mostly. There is always risk, just like any other business. When selling, make sure you:
Also, Amazon has complete control over your business. They can freeze your inventory, hold your funds, raise fees, and take away the buy box.
Is it Worth Doing Amazon FBA?
This business model is only worth it if you have the extra capital and time to make it work. While it takes about $3500 to start an FBA business, you need to invest $10K-$20K over 1-2 years for a higher chance of success. That way, you can try various products, expecting that most of them will fail. If you can’t dedicate this amount, it may not be worth starting an Amazon FBA business.
Related article: How Do You Start Amazon FBA on a Tight Budget?Can You Still Make Money with Amazon FBA?
Yes, this business can make you rich. But according to JungleScout, only 6% of sellers are millionaires. 20% of sellers have a lifetime profit of over $100,000.
Many FBA training advertisements make it seem like your income will be like the graph on the left. Realistically, it’s more like the graph on the right:
Can You Still Make Money with Amazon FBA?
64% of new sellers made a profit during their first year. This breaks down to about $42,000 annually.
Related article: What is the Success Rate of Amazon FBA?Conclusion: Are Amazon FBA Courses Scams?
Not every FBA course is a scam, but some are overpriced. To tell which courses are worth it, pay attention to the qualities listed above. Use this article as a guide, and apply the course of your choosing to our standards. If you determine that the course is legit, and you can afford it, you may be able to make money selling products on Amazon.
I've heard great things about Amazing Selling Machine, but it's a little too expensive for my blood. Even with the 40% discount currently going on.